Many kinds of emergency flares, flags, reflectors and the like have been devised and used, for example, to warn approaching motorists that a disabled vehicle is present along a highway. All of the known devices, however, take considerable time to deploy, many are fire hazards, and most are susceptible to the destruction of their effectiveness when struck or run over by passing vehicles.
On high speed highways, vehicles carrying flammable material are particularly hazardous when disabled without warning. It has often happened that the disabled vehicle has been struck before flares could be carried a safe distance from the vehicle and lighted or set up. Tragedies caused by these circumstances prompted the search for a signal device which could be easily and quickly deployed and which would be effective under all weather conditions day or night.
According to the present invention a device is provided which may be dropped or thrown from a vehicle or otherwise placed on the roadway without the necessity for taking time to "set up" the device. When used with a chemically actuated light tube, for instance, the signal device may be easily seen at great distances, is fire proof, and is not easily rendered ineffective by being struck or run over by passing vehicles.